Top Chef Masters - S2E2 Postmortem

Well, I was hoping to see Samuelsson advance, but that wasn't a terribly flattering appearance. Here's hoping that was the villain edit. I've always liked the guy's food.

Not that there's anything wrong with simple, but Phifer certainly seemed to suggest that the food was supposed to be elevated somehow. I'm not sure Gonzalez' dish fit the challenge, but when every other dish out there is flawed, I suppose it's tough not to give high marks to the one that's spot-on, regardless of how simple it may be.

Ordinarily the purchased sausage would bug me for a show like this, but I kind of feel like the time element deserves some consideration. I suppose the stew could have been done on the second day, but if you presume it had to be done on the first, what are you going to do... stuff sausage AND make a stew out of it for 125 people in under an hour? I have a hard time finding fault with going to a good premade sausage.

Of COURSE James Oseland loved brussels sprouts as a kid.

Anybody else find Pope's reaction to losing oddly intense? Regular Top Chef, sure. You're a young turk looking for your big break, you've been thrown into a 24-hour pressure cooker, you're living in a dormitory with a horde of miscreants, you're not sleeping, and there's a ton of money and your whole career on the line. With Masters, you're an established chef and the only thing that hinges on the outcome of the competition is which worthy charity gets the money. Not saying there's anything wrong with a little emotion, it just seemed a little... strong, given the context.

Fireworks next week. Every time I think this season seems more drama-centric than the last, I remind myself of Chiarello and Dale Talde nearly coming to blows.

Discuss!

UPDATE : Anybody who thinks Pope got all upset because of Samuelsson's actions or because of what he said to her at the end should probably watch the extended exit interview on the Bravo website. She seems more broken up over the judges' criticisms than anything else. But even with the "extended" interview, who knows? It's still a tiny snippet of what I'm sure was a lengthy, weepy interview. Reading too much into it would be, I think, rather presumptuous.

Comments

[Joe S]

I'm really surprised the judges didn't get more hung up on the premade sausage! I can't help but wonder in regular TC if that would have been a dealbreaker. What a twist.

[mar]

I think Marcus Samuelsson came across as a real jerk in this episode - not for not helping Carmen, but for what he said to Monica at the end. I would liked to have seen her win the double.

My 4-year old wants a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch every day. Man, did those quick-fire sandwiches look delicious, far better than the melted american cheese on whole wheat I serve. Not that my 4-year old would eat anything but, unfortunately!

The editing during judges table cracks me up - all the very serious nods and frowns clearly divorced from what is actually being discussed. I haven't had time to delve into the videos on the Bravo site - I know there is extended judges table discussion there, I wish more could be shown on the actual show.

[gilmore]

I guess this is the "villain cut" season.

As for Pope, I understand. Competition is competition.

Didn't store bought sausage cost someone in a prior year of Top Chef? Or am I confusing cooking competition shows?

Noonen seemed to nice to blow up - also seemed to have a sense of humor. Is he having fun but the clips make it look like more?

I am actually glad the quick fire does not count on the total score, as on regular TC, it does not impact who gets sent home.

Still not sure what to think about this season yet.

[aaalex]

i liked this ep better than the first (though, here again, the young black chef behaves like a bitch ... chip on shoulder or the edit?). though i love that tcm is/was a little more food focused, it was the drama of carmen screwing up that made this episode for me: cut finger, dramatic shot of someone's tray left out, drive across LA, burnt yuca ... what next? satan pees in your stew? you just knew she was going to win after all that, but it was still dramatic.

as to what samuelsson said at the end: it was a little cruel, but it was also TRUE. in trying to help carmen - and NOT succeeding - pope ended up distracted. undercooking shrimp is a mistake she would rarely make, i'd bet. so the carmen catastrophe, which didn't cost carmen, in the end, probably DID cost pope. and i kind of DO understand her tears and emotion: she came in feeling she had the least training, the fewest credentials of all the chefs in the room. it would have been a validation of her experience/learning had she won. it must have felt a little like a kick in the ass to lose by so little. (nor would winning the grilled cheese-off have meant validation for her, because it was a test NOT of learning or chops but of simplicity. some of those grilled cheese sandwiches sounded all right, but none of them tempted me away from the ones i get down the street at the diner, you know? too thought out.)

so far, i like this season a less than the first. it's been pushed towards regular top chef and, really, what's the point of having two top chefs? TCM should be mostly about the food. i know that contradicts what i said about the carmen drama making this ep better than the first but, at the end of the show, i felt like i didn't really understand the workings of the food: the way the ingredients were used, etc. so, i was surprised when thierry rautureau got 2 1/2 stars (from rayner, i think). that's a low score, though some of that plate sounded delicious. not knowing much about how rautureau (who WAS funny, i think ... i like the shot of the kids on the escalator looking back at the bizarre french dude) prepared his ingredients and cooked, i was entirely at the mercy of the judges' judgment...

[anon man]

I missed 75 percent of the episode, but Dom, don't bag on the sprouts! A good roasted sprout or a sprout salad is a wonderful thing.

[Skillet Doux]

Whoa, hey, I'm not knocking sprouts! Childhood love for them just seems so in character for Oseland :-)

[bryanD]

In hindsight, that was a painful episode (last night, with 4 1/2 beers in me, it only seemed not as good as episode 1).

How did that sweet lady forget HALF of her stuff back at TC kitchen? The store-bought sausage indulgence by the judges has already been mentioned. Was the other chefs' food so poor? Is what they say about "restaurateurs" deciding to fiddle behind the stoves again true?
From the look of those recurrent decorative olives, apparently yes.

The main takeaway for me though: nobody thought to host a fish fry (generous with the black pepper!) on the roof!
Plus hush puppies, buttermilk cole slaw done a day ahead, done, top 2, advance.

Not "elevated" enough? Yes it is: No catfish!

[Skillet Doux]

"I think Marcus Samuelsson came across as a real jerk in this episode - not for not helping Carmen, but for what he said to Monica at the end."

I agree that he came across as awfully arrogant during the quickfire (as cobbled together as that little sequence of quotes was), but I'm having trouble understanding what's so terrible about what he said to her at the end. What's so awful about suggesting that she has to look out for herself?

I mean, it's all a matter of tone. It could be delivered in a Nelson Muntz manner, or it could be delivered in a genuine, hey, you have to take care of yourself manner. But not only do we have the edit to contend with, but we didn't even see it. Pope relayed his comments secondhand!

The suggestion isn't that that's WHY she was so upset, is it? Because the tape certainly doesn't suggest that.

I don't get it.

[Skillet Doux]

"I think Marcus Samuelsson came across as a real jerk in this episode - not for not helping Carmen, but for what he said to Monica at the end."

I agree that he came across as awfully arrogant during the quickfire (as cobbled together as that little sequence of quotes was), but I'm having trouble understanding what's so terrible about what he said to her at the end. What's so awful about suggesting that she has to look out for herself?

I mean, it's all a matter of tone. It could be delivered in a Nelson Muntz manner, or it could be delivered in a genuine, hey, you have to take care of yourself manner. But not only do we have the edit to contend with, but we didn't even see it. Pope relayed his comments secondhand!

The suggestion isn't that that's WHY she was so upset, is it? Because the tape certainly doesn't suggest that.

I don't get it.

[Dave_P]

Hey, TCM is on! I missed the 1st ep and had to catch up on both last night. Random comments:

I really hate Bravo more and more, every season. Team victory? Really? And the stupid & misleading edits are just awful. I can't trust anything that might be out of context and am willing to give pretty much everyone a pass atm.

What's with the scoring changes? So QFs have no bearing on the ECs (other than a small advantage)? Fine, but why announce the winner first (last night), then compare the remaining members? Is that really make for more captivating TV? What, we (the stupid audience) can't do some simple arithmetic in our heads?

Agree with Dom that the best line of the season so far is Rayner talking about how, funnily enough, he likes his food taste... good!

So, 6 + 5 + 6 + 5 = 22 contestants? Seems a bit unfair to the chefs who compete in a pool of 6 vs. 5. If they're going to do another team competition, they should split the teams for the QF & EC and have both scores count. The EC will have much bigger impact, but you won't have a guaranteed EC pairing going to the finals either.

No one's really standing out this year (not a single 5 star so far, IIRC). Solid, to be sure, but no Hubert Keller, Rick Bayless or Anita Lo (early on, anyway) type brilliant performances. Nothing that makes these "masters" really stand out compared to, say, the upper echelon of last season of TC; I think Keven or the Volts could compete alongside and not miss a beat. Hoping a bit more from the returning masters, personally (I'm sorta pulling for Wylie right now).

Small side note about raw/undercooked lamb--a veternarian friend of mine once told me (and she reconfirmed years later) that undercooked lamb is far more dangerous than undercooked pork/chicken/anything else. I've since shied away from any sort of med-rare or rare lamb, and would likely pass on any sort of lamb carpaccio.

--
Dave

[Lon]

It does seem to be the edits are going more for drama this season and less about the food. Last year it was four chefs in each session; this year they're mixing it up and I think that makes it more disjointed.

[LynnO]

The editing is driving me nuts, too, more on they seemed to really like some of the dishes from the people who didn't win last night. I couldn't believe it when Carmen won, because they had showed us how much they liked the pork dish and the hush puppy dish for the most part. I guess some surprise is good, but don't totally be misleading about the outcome!

[jtset]

According to the live chat with Monica Pope from:http://blogs.chron.com/tubular/archives/2010/04/top_chef_master.html

She agrees Marcus was portrayed differently than he is in person (ie. more pompous). When asked whether she was emotional over what Marcus said or whether it was because of losing, she says:

"MonicaPope:
@Neeko It was def. what Marcus said. It was actually something that was done between the judges room and the green room. He poked me and said basically "You shouldn't be you". You just feel like "Well I am like that".

He wasn't trying to hurt me. But I can't play differently. That's part of the emotion of reality TV. At some point you're not going to play it right. Nothing to do with losing. I kinda wish I'd advanced though.
I am who I am. wherever I am whatever I do."

[aaalex]

jtset: thanks for the link. as always, the "real" chef is not in the mix. samuelsson was edited to look like he had a chip on his shoulder. shouldn't be surprised, but i always am, just a little.

no one has mentioned it, but ... i missed gael greene. gail simmons is fine - though i can't quite figure out why the producers are trying so hard to prove she has breasts - but i prefer the dynamic with gael greene. something about oseland, rayner, greene says TCM to me and i didn't really want simmons in there. (like her on TC non-M, though.)

[aaalex]

a ps: i almost forgot to ask ... being canadian, i don't really know what a "hush puppy" is. i assume it's some sort of corn meal (?) fritter. am i right? and, if so, are they any good usually? and where do they do them best?

[Zyfsv]

In borderline stalker behavoir, I sent Monica Post an email just saying that I was totally impressed at how professional, compasionate and the overall awesomeness that she was on the show. She seemed so devestated by the results of the show. Even though it was a competion, she was willing to help out someone else at her own expense. Not only did she not blow me off as a pseudo nut job, she sent me back an amazing and beautiful email talking about the passions that drive her cooking and her core beliefs. What an amazing lady! I have never heard of her before, but I hope her career flourishes!

[Danny]

It may be my ignorance but I've never really have heard of these chefs (excepting the Chicago chef) whereas last season I knew every one of them. These chefs seemed liked chefs that would normally be competing in a season of regular Top Chef.

[jh]

I found Thierry absolutely endearing in the episode. I cracked up when he attempted to run up the escalators the wrong way (because who hasn't been tempted to try that), as well as his confession at Critic's table. After Carmen tells the critics that Thierry and Monica tried to help her out with the yucca, he just blurts out, "We burned them, too!" I almost wanted him to go on just so I could see him on camera again.

[Skillet Doux]

Danny... it's purely a matter of opinion, of course, but I don't think this season so far is any less notable. Compare the list of chefs from the first two episodes:

TCM1:
Hubert Keller
Christopher Lee
Tim Love
Michael Schlow
Suzanne Tracht
Graham Bowles
Wylie Dufresne
Elizabeth Falkner

TCM2:
Susan Feniger
Tony Mantuano
Jerry Traunfeld
Ana Sortun
Govind Armstrong
Jimmy Bradley
Carmen Gonzalez
Marcus Samuelsson
Monica Pope
Thierry Rautureau
David Burke

I'd say those compare pretty favorably. In the Champions Round right now, you have Mantuano, Feniger, Samuelsson and Gonzalez, with four more spots to fill. Compare that to Suzanne Tracht, Art Smith, Anita Lo, Hubert Keller, Michael Chiarello and Rick Bayless? Again, strikes me as very comparable.

[Danny]

You are right, I'm sure, about the stature of the chefs. It is my own ignorance. It's just when I look at the first list I know every chef there by reputation and when I look at the second list, with a few exceptions, they could be names from a phone book. But as I said, that is my own ignorance and you sure as heck know more about this than I ever will so I believe you implicitly that these chefs are of the same caliber. Thanks for the heads up Dom.

[Nsam]

What, no cornbread?!? If I have my choice, cornbread will figure prominently in my last meal...

A jawdropping episode. I was stupefied at Gonzalez moving on, but also at Pope's oddly intense reactions, Samuelsson's villainous behavior (or the edit of such), and also, finally, how different this season seems from Season 1 of TCM.

In short, I simply agree with a lot of points that have already been made. While I am enjoying Season 2's more intense tone and competitiveness, it is seeming more like the regular Top Chef than Season 1 did. And I'm ambivalent about that -- what, indeed, is the point of having two Top Chefs?

As for Samuelsson, based on the available evidence at this time, I'm inclined to be lenient on him. Should he have helped Gonzalez? That's quite a gray area, no? His stance (tough, it's a competition) may be ungenerous but isn't unreasonable. Was his parting shot to Pope harsh? Like Dom says, it all depends on the tone.

Finally, Gonzalez's comedy of errors put ALL of the chefs under extra stress. And if it were me in that position, put under the gun to make an immediate, difficult, gray area ethical judgment call on national TV because of someone's else's bumbling mistake, and then watch said bumblerer win the damn thing for a humble bowl of oysters and storebought sausage, well, I think I'd have a sour taste in my mouth, too.

[gilmore]

Aalex:
You are basically correct on the Hush Puppies. http://www.chitterlings.com/hush-puppies.html

I like to have cayenne pepper mixed in with mine along with some minced jalapenos. Some have minced onion too. Many people use a melon baller to make round puppies.

I think the chefs confused southern cuisine with soul food.

Smothered Pork Chops, smothered chicken, chitterlings (that would have cleared the kitchen), pig ears, ribs, turkey necks, turnip and mustard greens (besides the collards - my favorite too), cabbage and other vegetables cooked with fat back or bacon pieces.

[gilmore]

I meant to add - I was expecting smothered pork loin with an amazing sauce and spices, same with the chicken. chicken and dumplings with a fancy gravy and special dumplings, fancified meat loaf, black-eyed-peas, crowder peas, purple hull peas, catfish, corn bread, etc.

I am not sure if this is 100% accurate, but.... all soul food is southern, but not all southern food is soul food.

Don't know what Whole Foods has in stock.

[aaalex]

gilmore: a million thanks for your "hush puppies" link, and for your post in general. you can find recipes for hush puppies online, but i was wondering what "genuine hush puppies" might be like for someone who knows them well. great point about southern food being confused with soul food. if you know a site with some good soul food recipes, i'd love to check it out. thanks again.

[aaalex]

gilmore: actually, that site you sent me to looks pretty good. have you tried the recipes?

[gilmore]

No aalex. I eat the real deal from cooks who have done it for a long time. I will look closer at the recipes and see if there is a better place.

[hayamyma]

I just finished reading the blogs and just wanted to say I think Jay Rayner is a classy human being along with being a good judge. He evidently witnessed some of the Carmen drama before eating and describes what the judges thought when they found out the whole story. He ends his blog with a very sweet compliment to Monica Pope. I like that he is tough and funny, but still has a compassionate side.

[nomnomnom]

I think this episode is evidence how this series just can't last long term. The format relies far too much on the edit content to shape the story. Plus they kill 4-5 minutes plugging the charities, and assorted introductions. There's just no time to even understand who these people are.

I still don't understand why they pulled the star thing from the QF. I guess it was to shorten the shooting time? Lots of chefs complained about no sleep, and grueling shooting in these preliminary rounds.

I just don't know. It just feels like they are just going through the motions in the prelims this time. That is, except for the re-dos that are coming up. It looks like that one will be lots of fun.

[rab01]

I rooted for Hung so I can't condemn Samuelsson from taking the same approach -- we're not working in a kitchen together, we're competing against each other.

THe Producers seemed to have made some really odd choices for this Season -- (1) increasing the competitors from 4 per round in the prlims; and (2) allowing some to compete in groups of 5 while others compete in groups of 6. Those choices diminish the amount of time to create narrative arcs because, as nomnomnom pointed out, each charity takes a minute to properly plug and it seems fundamentally unfair for some chefs to face fewer competitors than do others.
I also hate the fact that, in the first episode, the chef with the dish most praised in the blogs did not advance.

[TxGriff]

Just a thought about why there are only 22 chefs- maybe they originally casted 24, and 2 had to back out? I have no way of verifying this, but I would think that the origincal idea of the show was to have 4 rounds with 6 chefs competing each round, or maybe even 6 rounds with 4 chefs each like last season. I don't know why the show would be designed to have uneven matchups, which makes me think there was some last minute cancellation and rearranging. Once again, I have no way of verying whether or not this is the case, it's just a hunch.

[michelle@TNS]

that's a terrifying picture of carmen gonzalez. is that really the size of her head vis-a-vis her body? yipes, didn't notice that while watching.

monica pope was TOTALLY EXPRESSIONLESS the whole time...until she burst into tears. maybe it wasn't the loss, it was the strain of trying not to use any facial muscles.

[gilmore]

This site seems to have more authentic soul food recipes, mixed in with other southern recipes. There are several we will try.

http://soulfoodonline.net/recipes/

[aaalex]

gilmore: great! i'm going to try some of these recipes this weekend. thanks so much.

i live in canada and i'm canadian, but i was born in trinidad and i'm amused at how familiar some of these recipes are. i'm guessing there must be some caribbean influence on soul food. true? or coincidence?

[jh]

aaalex- I think the similarities between soul food and Caribbean food have to do with the origins of the cuisines (I'm not positive, but this would be my best guess). Soul food, often associated with Southern cuisine, has its roots in African American culture. During the 17th and 18th century, the slave trade extended from Africa to all over the Americas, including the Caribbean. Many kinds of food and music present today have been influenced by these African slaves, hence, the similarities between soul and Caribbean cuisine.

[gilmore]

Good explanation jh. Enjoy aalex.

[yumyum]

Just came late to this party, and I very much enjoyed Thierry's humor, but since when is farro salad and brussels sprout slaw soul food? I would have expected much more "smothered" as stated upthread. Or some good old buttermilk brined fried chicken? Grits I can get behind, but some of this food was totally soul-less.

Also, I have a MEGA crush on Marcus, but man he came off looking like a prick on this episode.